Greatest British sportsman of all time

[glosterred]

Everyone seems to be forgetting James Hayter, that one goal is worth more than just 2 Wimbledon titles!

COYR

[The Red Baron]

Everyone seems to be forgetting James Hayter, that one goal is worth more than just 2 Wimbledon titles!

COYR

Chris Balderstone.

Played in a County Championship match and Football League match on the same day.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

There is a blindingly obvious one that no-one has mentioned, who wins hands down for me.

Mo Farah.

I was reading through this thread and was going to suggest him.  Crazily good but for me has to step up to marathon. On that note Paula radcliffe is a world record holder yet we don't mention her? She was miles ahead of her peers.

Hamilton also a good shout but he has had a car far better than the rest. He's not Schumacher who did it without having the best car at times.

Quite a few good shouts on the cycling front isn't there aswell.

Lots of bright young stars to come also. For a small country we're doing well.

[wilts rover]

Probably a good reason why Paula Radcliffe isn't mentioned in a discussion of the best British sportsman eh BFYP!

Beryl Burton is the best British sportswoman - and so good in her time she could beat most of the men around too.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Very true. But why only talk men???

[wilts rover]

Very true. But why only talk men???

Now thats a better question!!

I still say Beryl Burton. What I missed out from my earlier post is that for 2 years she not only held the women's world record - but also a men's world record. Who else has ever done that? Her women's record still stands - from 1967. The men of course were professional - she worked on a rhubarb farm.

[The Red Baron]

There is a blindingly obvious one that no-one has mentioned, who wins hands down for me.

Mo Farah.

I was reading through this thread and was going to suggest him.  Crazily good but for me has to step up to marathon. On that note Paula radcliffe is a world record holder yet we don't mention her? She was miles ahead of her peers.

Hamilton also a good shout but he has had a car far better than the rest. He's not Schumacher who did it without having the best car at times.

Quite a few good shouts on the cycling front isn't there aswell.

Lots of bright young stars to come also. For a small country we're doing well.

Hamilton? A bloke who drives a car?

And people have a go at Redgrave who excelled in what is a physically demanding sport.

Daley Thompson probably gets it for me.

[selby]

C B Fry look his record up

[Draytonian III]

Lester Piggott 

[Sammy Chung was King]

Lennox Lewis-Dominated his era, and faced everybody who had a vague chance of taking his titles, and in the top ten of boxings all time great champions, in my opinion.

Bobby Moore, captained england to win the world cup, while also fighting cancer, probably our best ever captain and one of the best defenders we have had.

Bobby Charlton, world cup, european cup winner, former england record goalscorer, rated as one of the best of his era.

Bob Fitzsimmons, our first heavyweight champion of the world, the first three time winning champion boxer.

[Bentley Bullet]

Why am I not surprised no one else has mentioned the obvious?

England's greatest ever export...........................David Beckham

[Dutch Uncle]

Either CB Fry or Dennis Compton

[Donnywolf]

Fred Perry won 10 major titles including Wimbledon three times and 4 Grand Slams - and he was also world Table Tennis Champion at the same time.

Andy Murray isn't even the greatest British tennis player of all time - never mind all-round sportsman. Wait till he has his own clothing range, then he might be close.

He's got his own range of Mints

[Donnywolf]

I'll see your Phil Taylor and raise with Arthur Shufflebottom. 9 times fives and threes champion and crib grand master.

Krowpach and Bowkett - spelling probably crap were from Donny & were Table Footy Champions on t' Indoor League with Freddie Truman

Talking of Cricket has Ian Botham got a mention yet ?

[Donnywolf]

Ah having checked there is no Botham and not a single Golfer either. There must be a Golfer that can be "compared" along with the rest of these surely ?

[Bentley Bullet]

Albert 'halitosis' Clutterbuck. Bentley's very own Blow Football world champion back in the 1950's.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Ah having checked there is no Botham and not a single Golfer either. There must be a Golfer that can be "compared" along with the rest of these surely ?

harry vardon

[bahrain rover]

Nick Faldo for golf

[glosterred]

Hedley Verity, Yorkshire and England Cricketer and soldier

[Jonathan]

Mo Farah definitely up there but so is Murray. Triple Grand Slam champion, reigning Olympic champion and multiple ATP titles in such a competitive era at the top of the game. There are not enough superlatives for Murray in my view. He squeezes every ounce of ability out of himself through pure graft, hard work and dedication. You never see him making the wrong headlines and he doesn't court fame or distracting cosmetic advertising contracts. If only our footballers could take a leaf out of his book. It's his attitude and endeavour that makes him an all time great for me. It's all about opinions but personally I'd accept no argument that questions his place amongst the greats in this country.

[BobG]

Dutch, Selby, Billy:

You forget the man who revolutionised the sport of cricket, played first class cricket for 44 seasons, and dominated almost every single one of them. A man whose record even today is still one of the very best. The man whose technical innovations and enormous influence left a lasting legacy. The man who was the first all rounder, and outstanding at it too. The man who  excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and fielding - though it's for his batting that he is most renowned. He is held to have invented modern batsmanship. He was particularly admired for his mastery of all strokes, and his level of expertise was said by contemporary reviewers to be unique. He generally captained the teams he played for at all levels because of his skill and tactical acumen.

The man was nominally an amateur cricketer - but he is said to have made more money from his cricketing activities than any professional cricketer. He was an extremely competitive player and, although he was one of the most famous men in England, he was also one of the most controversial on account of his gamesmanship and moneymaking.

William Gilbert Grace. Other than William Webb Ellis no Englishman, in any sport, can claim to have had such a profound and long lasting impact on his chosen sport. I give the crown to W G on the grounds that he played, dominated, the sport as well as revolutionised it. William Webb only did that second bit. He ended up a vicar!

BobG

[BillyStubbsTears]

Jonathan

I wouldn't argue that Murray is AMONG the greats. No question.

[darren61]

Roy Race?

[Sammy Chung was King]

Roy Race?

What about Blackie Gray?, very underrated.

[Dutch Uncle]

Bob

I suppose it depends whether you are trying to answer the old fashioned question of who was the greatest sportsman in ability, achievement etc across multiple sports, or who has had the most success or influence on one sport. Grace and many others have been better at cricket than Compton, but none have also played for Arsenal in the old First division. CB Fry is usually touted as the best all rounder in that sense.

A special mention for a friend of mine - Peter (PJ) Wilson. In the early 1970's a broadsheet (Times I think) ran a reader competition for the best current British sportsman (no women) and he won. He was a schoolteacher in Oxford, a GB Hockey star, Welsh squash international, County champion tennis player, and a several other things as well. Off course his name probably helped the readers' choice - remember the comic character 'The Great Wilson'!

[Donnywolf]

No doubt we need the return of Superstars where I seem to remember Downhill Skiers were the "fittest" of all the Sportsmen

Reckon Lewis Hamilton cant be far off the fittest even though he sits down in his Sport !

[BillyStubbsTears]

Ahh, Superstars. How I loved Superstars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8vwE3_MKDY

Actually, the World Superstars finals were dominated by a Canadian footballer and a couple or three pole vaulters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstars#World_Superstars

[Crowle Rover]

Ahh, Superstars. How I loved Superstars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8vwE3_MKDY

Actually, the World Superstars finals were dominated by a Canadian footballer and a couple or three pole vaulters.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstars#World_Superstars

Superstars, used to love it.

Can remember one year in the world one though where Jody Schekter greased his legs with cooking oil so he could get more traction in the squat thrusts!

[bahrain rover]

Reckon Lewis Hamilton cant be far off the fittest even though he sits down in his Sport !

In F1 I believe its now Button a very active tri athlete. Before 100% it was Webber all round fitness junkie.

[ctay]

Dave Cusack?